Bassinet



June4,1946. w BQREN 2,401,605

BASSINET I June 4, 1946. J, w, BOREN 2,401,605

' i BAssINET Filed Nov. 12, 1940 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 June 4, 1946.' J, WQBQREN 2,401,605

BASSINET Filed Nov. l2, 1940 4 Sheets-Sheet J. w. BOREN BAssiNET Filed NOV. l2, 1940 June 4, 194s.

4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented June 4,1m 1946 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEv Y BASSINET John William Boren, Marinette, Wis.

Application November 12, 1940, Serial No. 365,173

Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in bassinets and the like and it consists of the matters hereinafter described and more particularly ,the area. thereof, is so formed that the baby may be easily handled without removal from the bassinet or may be readily andconveniently removed and replaced when desired.

A further object of the invention is `to provide a bassinet which' may be readily and inexpensively converted into an incubator when necessary and in which vtemperature and 'humidity conditions, as well as air circulation may be con trolled `to promote the health and well being of the baby, without sacrificing the visibility of the baby, in the bassinet,

Also, it is an object of the invention toprovid a bassinet of the kind mentioned which is strong and rigid though `light in Weight so that it may readily be picked up and moved about.

Again, it is an object of the invention to provide `a bassinet having sides and endsof transparent. material for full visibility and top and bottom frames so formed as to receive and snugly hold marginal portions of said material in a manner protecting said margins against damage in the natural handling, which the bassinet receives when used for its intended purposes.

Also, it is an object of the invention toprovide a novel compact humidifying unit which may be readily applied to the bassinet' to convert the same into an eiiicient incubator well adapted for either hospital nursery, or home nursery use.

The above mentioned objects of the invention,

i as well as others, together with the advantages thereof, will more fully appear as the specification proceeds. 4

In the drawings: i Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the basket member of the improved bassinet inl one `oi? its positions on an associated Wheeled supporting stand.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view through the improved b-assinet and top part of the associated stand, on an enlarged scale, when the bassinet has been converted into an incubator.

Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical sectional view through the bassinet and its cover, as taken on 5 the line 3-3 o1' Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a detail horizontal sectional' view through a part of the basket only of the bassinet as taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Figl 5 is a top plan view of the improved bassinet when converted into an incubator, parts of the cover being shown as broken away to better disclose the humidifying unit of the incubator.

Fig. 6 is another transverse vertical sectional view through the foot end part of the basSnei? when converted into an incubator, the plane of the section being taken on the line 6 6 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 'Tis a detailvertical sectional view, on` an enlarged scale, through a part of the cover of the bassinet astaken on the line '1 -1 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 8 is another detail vertical sectional view through another part of the cover, on the scale of Fig. '7 as taken on the line 8--8 of Fig. 5.

` Fig. 9 is a view on an enlarged scale of parts appearing in the upper left hand corner of Fig. 2.

Fig. 10 is a view on the scale of Fig. 9 of parts appearing in the lower left hand corner of Fig. 2.

lIn general the improved bassinet includes an open top basket-like body, which is usually supported upon a skeleton-like stand having wheels whereby the bas'sinet may be moved about when necessary. Said body, which is of a generally oblong shape, is relatively deep to provide the desired cubical capacity. Its foot end is reduced in height to make it more convenient for the attendant, when placing the baby in or removing it from the basket-like body, or when otherwise tending the baby. i

The bottom of the basket-like body is preferably made of openwork sheet metal and supports 40 a mattress-like pad. That pad is preferably made in two sections, viz: a main body section and a foot end section (see Fig. 1). The foot end section is the smallest in length and area and may be removed fromthe body and then replaced by an air iilter when the bassinet is converted into an incubator, as Will laterappear.

A novel cover is provided for the top of the basket-like body `to give that degree of isolation for the baby deemed necessary byr those in charge. This cover, which is preferably made of a textile material, includes a marginal elastic to iit tightly upon the open top of the body. Said cover is also provided with one or more drawstrings whereby it may be made taut so it will remain flat and wrinkle-proof and maintain a neat and tidy appearance.

The cover contains a relatively large window of transparent material which slides in ways provided along opposed sides of an opening in the head end of the cover. By opening this window, to the desired extent, the proper amount of ventilation may be provided for the baby occupying the bassinet. The window may be opened to a greater eXten-t'when it is desired to bottle feed the Ababy without removing the cover from the basket. Also, this window gives substantial visibility of the baby from the top of the basket.

Modern medical practice advocates placing the new born baby in an incubator, at least for the first 8 hours. The ideal practice is to provide a temperature of say 98 F. initially for the new born baby and then gradually reduce this temperature during this 8 hour period to the temperature of the nursery, which should approximate 80.' At this stage, other factors favorable to the development of the baby, are ventilation and air nuiriidity.l

To convert the bassinet readily, easily and inexpensively into an incubator, I provide a novel electrical lhumidifying and warming -Vunit which may be appliedto the foot :endrof the bassinet beneath the cover. However, before applying said unit, fthe pad section fat the foot end of the bassinet is removed and an air filter is substituted in its stead.

The said unit, which 'is of 'simple construction, includes a non-splashing waterfholdins pan hav ing parts ateach end adapted to be hooked 'over opposite wall `portiorrs at the foot end of the bassinet .and lwhereby the unit .isiremovably and "quickly placeable in supported operative position in the foot end of the basket.y For placfingth'e unit in position or iin'` removing it fromv the -basket, the foot end of the cover'may be readily turned back.

The unit includes KVan electrical heating element beneath the water panfor evaporative purposes.

Of coursasuitable manual and automatic con-f trois are associated with the unit andconveniently inthe bassinet-is a thermometer and a humldity'gauge'. As the greater part yof the bassinet is made of transparent materia-l,-allinstru ments and `gauges arereadily readable through--` the sides of the bassinet. 1

Referring .now in detail to that embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawings, I

-indicates as a whole the improved bassinet' and 55a indicates as a'whole an associated wheeledstand to removably receive and support-the bassinet and by which the bassinet `may be easily moved about. f

The bassinet is in the form of an lopen top,

oblong shaped, round cornered basket that in' sheet metal formed to provide a rolled bead' 2n and an inwardly extending, horizontally clisposed flange 2l, `spaced above the bottom part of the bead Vas appears in Fig. 10. The bottom 22 of the basket is provided by a sheet of open work metal which :rests near Yits margins on the top 'surface'.of the flange 21y of theframe 11. Its

edge margin extends into the bead 2i) of said frame. The open work metal bottom is preferably made from a piece of expanded sheet metal, the 'strands of which have been flattened into the 'same plane.

The bottom 22 is held in place by angle strips 23. VThe wider horizontal flange 24 of each strip engages upon the basket bottom 22 above the frame ange 2l. The vertical flange 25 of each strip is spaced inwardly lfrom the upper portion ofthe bead 20 to provide a space 2S therebetween. There is one of these strips along each side and each end of the basket. All of said strips are e secured in place by screws 2l' that pass through Cil The

that is placed upon said bottom.

the flange 24, bottom 22 and frame flange 2l to receive a nut 28 engaged against the iiange 2l and ,disposed above the plane of the bottom of 4provides a smooth rounded surface about the bottom outline of the bassinet. Said surface maybe placed or engaged upon Vany supporting surface without marring the same.

The upper frame member |'6 (seeFig. 9) isalso made of sheet metal formed to provide an open 4roundedvbead 30 anda downwardly extending,

inner vertical flange 3| so arranged with respect to the free edge` of the bead as to leave a space 32 therebetween. The flange 3l of the upper frame I6 is disposed in the verticalA plane of the flange ofi the bottom retaining strips-23.

'Thevvertical spacing bars I8 and ISare welded at their'ends to the front marginal `parts @of the beads-20 4and 30 of the lowerand yupper frames, and there rigidlyfconnect said frames together.

The top frame I6 has a drop at that end associated with the foot end of the ybassinet-so that the foot fend of the bassinet `is lower inhei'ght than the remainder of the bassinet. x With the foot :end of the bassinetmade lower, as described,

= the .attendant is better able to handle the. baby from the foot end of the bassinet with a natural,

- free and easy arm movement.'

The sides and vends ofthe bassinet are made of panels of transparent material and someof-the Y have curved Vcorner parts fitting the curvature ,of the ends of the upper and lower frames .and

:the end `edges of i all of said wallsmeet on the ,median line of the inner faces of the bars I8 and I9. The seams thus provided by the meeting ends of the wallsfare covered from inside the bassinet by strips 35 V(seeliigrll made'of the same material asand cemented to said walls. The upper margin ofthe walls extends through the space A32 in the upper lframe I6, and into the bead 3D thereof and said Amargin is held in position by ller strips a (see Fig. 9.) in said bead. The bottom edge of the lower margin of said walls rests upon the bottom y22 Vand the bottom margin of said Wallis disposed in "the space 26 between the free edge of the bead 20 and the iiange'25 of the strips 23.

' The construction described provides a strong, rigid bassinet having transparent sides andrer'ids. The bead 30 of the frame I6, bounding the upper vend yof the bassinet', provides a convenient hand Vhold for grasping, yinsmoving the bassinet'by hand,

as when carrying the same or in removing it from and replacing it upon its stand |5a.

The bassinet is provided with a mattress or pad of an outline shape to completely cover the bottom 22 and to extend well aboveithe ilange 25 of the bars Z3. Preferably this pad is made in two sections, a relatively lar-ge main section 36 and a relatively small foot end section (35a, see Fig, 1. Both sections may be made of cemented together layers of cellular rubber of different resiliencies. By turning the pad section to position the desired side up, either a relatively hard or a relatively soft surface may be provided for the baby, as the attending nurse deems best. Each mattress section is enclosed in a waterproof cover 3l and materia! such as oiled silk well serves the purpose. The covers are made in envelope form so that when they lose their eiiiciency or When they become worn, they may be removed and replaced by new ones. Only the cover 3l for the main section 36 appears in the drawings, see Fig. 3.

The numeral 40 indicates the cover for the bassinet and which cover is preferably made of a good grade of textile material such as a Washable canvas. It is of an area somewhat greater than the top of the bassinet and is provided with a marginal hem 4| in which is enclosed an elastic element 42 at front and rear only. Pairs of tie strings or tapes 43 are attached to spaced points along each side of the cover for drawing the cover taut. Thereafter the tie strings of each pair are tied together under the bottom of the bassinet to hold the cover in this taut condition.

In the head end of the cover is a relatively large elongated opening 44, The margin of said opening is defined by a hem 45. Associated with the sides andthe head end of said opening is s, second and upper hem 46 which coacts with the iirst hem in providing grooves l1 to receive the associated margins of a transparent closure member 48. Said member is-preferably made of the same material as the side and end panels of the bassinet. The member 48 is insertable under a transverse band 49 at the foot end of the opening so as to be guided into said grooves 4l. To prevent the cover from sagging at about the transverse mid point of the opening, upper and lower cross straps 49a and 49h are fixed at their ends to the hems 45 and 46. When the member iii is in a position closing said opening, the foot end thereof is disposed beyondthe band 49 as appears in Fig. 5, so as to provide a convenient part for grasping by hand in moving the member in its grooves 41.

Y The structure thus far described may be used as a bassinet for holding a baby for a certain period of time during its infancy and even up to the time the baby has outgrown the bassinet. Said bassinet is supported at the desired elevation, by the stand a mentioned and one form of stand, which may be conveniently used, is made as follows: Said stand includes a top frame 50 of the same general plan contour, but of an area somewhat more than that of the bassinet. Preferably it is made of tubing and includes side members 5I and end members 52 connected together at the corners of the frame. This frame is supported upon upright corner posts 53 having their top ends Welded to the corners of the frame and each carrying a swiveling caster 54 at the bottom end, and upon which the frame may be readily moved about. A reach bar 55 is associated with the bottom end portions of the posts and has U shaped end parts for connection to the posts at eachend of the frame. l

The stand also includes an open Work oor or platform disposed in a plane below thatV of the top frame 50 and upon which floor or platform the bassinet rests when it isl operativelydisposed upon the stand. One convenient way in which to make said platform `is to provide a pair of spaced apart longitudinal bars 51 having upturned ends 51a xed to the associated end members of the frame 50 of the stand as appears in Fig. 2. In connection with the longitudinal bars there is provided a pair of cross bars 58 having upturned ends 58a xed to the side members of the frame of the stand. The cross bars are disposed upon and intersect the longitudinal bars and each cross bar has parts spaced outwardly from the longitudinal bars that are covered wit rubber sleeves 59. c

The sleeves are so spaced apart that when the bassinet is in its normal horizontal position in the stand, the beads 20 at the sides of the lower frame l1 of the bassinet engage upon said sleeves so that no surface nish of either the bassinet or stand can be marred.

When the bassinet is in position on the stand, the frame 50 of the stand is disposed above the bottom of the bassinet as appears in Fig. 1 and therefore the bassinet cannot become accidentally dislodged from the stand.

Should the baby have some disorder which may be eased by changing the position of the bassinet from a horizontal one to an inclined one, the head end of the bassinet is rested upon the associated end frame member of the stand' 50 and the foot end is engaged on thelcngitudinal bars 5l'behind the sleeves 59 on that one of the cross bars, toward the foot end of the frame of the easily dislodged by accident;`

A unit appears in Figs. 2-5 and-6, which may be applied to the inside of the foot end of the bassinet to convert it into an incubator. Said unit includes a relatively narrow and shallow water holding pan 60 of a length slightly less than the width of the bassinet. It includes a bottom 6I, side walls (i2-62 and end Walls 63"-63, the latter walls being extended above the side walls. The end walls are provided with hooks 64 (see Fig. 6) for engagement with opposite portions of the top frame I6 of the bassinet-at the lower foot end portion thereof. These hooks support the unit as a Whole from the bassinet, in a way whereby the unit may be quickly and easily positioned in place and as quickly and easily removed therefrom4 when desired. The upper margins of the side wall are rolled over inwardly as at 62a (see Fig. 2) to prevent splashing of the water over the sides of the pan when the bassinet is used as an incubator and is being moved about from one place to another.

To control the amount of evaporization of the water in the pan when heated, I provide a sectional cover 65. Said cover is made up of a plurality of hingedly connected plates of alength approximating the width of the pan so as to rest at their ends upon the angesBZa. thereof for support. When said plates are all disposed in the same plane, they cover and close the top of the pan.V When certain ones are folded zigzag fashion back upon one another, this exposes the desired amount of the water in the pan for evaporation purposes.

The unit further includes a housing disposed below the pan and this housing is `made as follows: depending from the bottom of the pan, inwardly from the ends thereof, are vertical walls lS--Gsa respectively connected together at the lower end by a horizontal wall 6l. The wall 61 affords a at bottom for the unit as a whole for engagement upon a supporting surface when the unit has been removed from the bassinet.

In the end wall 66 is mounted a combination socket and switch B8 to receive an electric lamp B9 as the heating element for the unit and which lamp is arranged beneath the bottom El of rthe pan Ell. The lamp is of the dual filament type and the switch is of the type whereby either one or the other filaments may be brought to incandescence or both may be brought to incandescence at the same time. This gives three diierent stages of temperature for evaporation of the water in the pan. Such a lamp in connection with the cover plates 65, before mentioned, provides an accurate control for temperature and humidity in the bassinet.

A wall 'l0 extends upwardly and forwardly from the bottom wall-E1 to act as a guard for the babys feet so that the feet cannot be engaged with the hot lamp when it is in operation. This wall also .acts partially to shield the baby from the glare of the lamp and thus provide only a subdued light for the head end of the bassinet whereby the condition of thevbaby may be ascertained through the window in the cover 4l).

A shield 'Il is provided at the other side 0f the pan and this shield is spaced from Athe bottom wall of the -unit so that air may circulate upwardly ybetween said shield and the pan. Said shield prevents injury to the panel by the heat from the lamp 69 and at the same time it screens the rays from said lamp from passing through said panel and producing such a glare as would interfere with the visibility of the attendant from a relatively short distance.

On the wall 66a of the unit, I mount a thermostatic switch 'l2 (see Fig. 6) which may be set to extinguish the lamp at a certainhigh temperature in the bassinet and to turn'it on at a relatively lower one. Thus, overheating in the bassinetis prevented.

Associated with the unit just described, is the air filter unit before mentioned and which bears the numeral 1.3, in Figs. 2 and 6 respectively, It has the same shape as the foot end mattress or pad section 36a and may be substituted therefor, when the bassinet is to be used as or converted into an incubator.

The air filter unit comprising top and bottom foraminous walls 'M and 'i5 anda band 16 extending about the sides and ends of `the unit, and an air lter` 'l1 of brous material such as rock wool. Such a device is relatively light in weight and is `easily handled and may be placed in position upon that part of the bottom 22 left vacant by the removal of the pad section 36a, with either Wall 14 or 'l5 uppermost. When said unit is engaged upon and is supported by the openwork bottom 22 of therbassinet, air may pass therethrough into the interior of the bassinet.

Within the bassinet is provided a thermometer 18 and a humidity gauge 19 (see Fig. 2) and these may be purchased in the open market as a `combined instrument. Such an linstrument is provided with a hook for engagement with one side of the bassinet in a position to be observed through one of the transparent sides thereof.

When the bassinet is to be used as a bassinet, it is apparent that thetwo units just before describedwill be removed and the mattress or pad mattress section 36a then removed and the air lter unit 13 substituted therefor. The warming and humidifying unit is now positioned in the foot end of the bassinet by engaging the hooks 54 with opposed parts of the frame I6.V After the new born baby has been placed in the bassinet, the foot end of the cover 40 is reappliedto close the foot end of the bassinet.

By reason of the switch 68 and the plates 65, the temperature and the humidity in the bassinet may be controlled in accordance with the reading of the thermometer 'I8 and gauge 19. If the humidity is too high, the plates 65 are opened into a flat condition to close olf the required Vamount of area of the open top of the Water pan 6l).

By moving the window 48 to uncover the desired area of the opening 44, the circulation of air may ybe controlled, the opening functioning as a chimney through which heated air in the bassinet passes to surrounding atmosphere. Should the temperature become too high, the thermostat 'l2 will function to deenergize the lamp E9. y

It is apparent that the'structure described may be made to function as an incubator or as a bassinet. In either instance, complete isolation of the baby with full visibility thereof by the attending nurse or by the parents is aorded.

Even when the construction is being used as an incubator, the new .born :baby may be easily transported into the mothers room so that she may see the baby, but as the baby is isolated within the bassinet, it is protected against every condition deleterious to its health, growth and development. .7.

With the cover 40 being made readily removable as it is, and with the foot end of the bassinet lower than the remainder, the same permits that freedom for natural arm movement necessary in removing the baby for any purpose or for changing the position of the baby in the bassinet as is sometimes advisable.

Again, should the nurse in charge believe that the baby would rest easier in an inclined position, such a position may be obtained merely by lifting the bassinet into the dotted line position indicated in Fig. 2.

By the construction of the frames ,I6 and Il of the bassinet, as described, a strong light weight, sanitary bassinet is possible.` Also, because of the transparency of the sides, ends and top of the bassinet, the nurse may observe the baby and note its condition from a considerable distance. Thus, when `a number of bassinets are used in a hospital nursery, the nurse in charge may easily and .quickly determine the condition of each baby from her station.

Also, due to the transparency of the side and end walls, the baby in its waking moments may see therethrough and observe its surroundings so that it does not soon become uneasy and fretful. The transparency of said walls is, therefore, a factor in baby contentment.

The drawings, which were made from -anac-tual bassinet, illustrate a bassinet having an inside width of approximately fourteen inches, an inside length of approximately twenty-eight inches. The foot end is about six inches in length, the remainder being generally referred to as the head endl The depth of the head end approximates thirteen inches, which allowing for a pad or cushion of two to three inches, the latter being the maximum thought to be necessary, provides a depth of some ten or eleven inches above the top surface of the cushion or pad. The overall height for the foot end is about eight and onehalf inches, being substantially the usual height of nursery baskets heretofore in common use. The average new born infant, which approximates nineteen inches in length, is well accommodated in the bassinet illustrated, which also forms a cubical or individual sleeping compartment for the infant providing good nursery isolation.

While in describing the invention, I have referred in detail to the form, construction and arrangement of the parts involved, the same is to be considered only in the illustrative sense so that I do not wish to be limited thereto, except as may be specifically set forth in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A bassinet of the kind described embodying therein an open top basket-like body having a bottcm, a frame bounding the margin of said bottom and having rounded corners, side and end walls of transparent material for said body and extending upwardly from said frame, certain of said walls having portions curved to extend about the rounded corners of said frame and having end parts abutting the end parts of the other of said walls to provide seams therebetween, a frame bounding the top margin of said side and end walls, upright bars connecting said frames and disposed outside of said walls and covering said seams, and means covering said seams on the inside of said walls.

2. A bassinet of the kind described embodying therein an open top generally rectangular basketiike body having a bottom, a frame bounding the margin of said bottom and including an open bead and a flange portion upon which an inner portion of said margin of the bottom engages, the outer portion of said margin extending into said bead, upright side and end walls of transparent material resting on said margin of said bottom and engaged with an inner portion of said bead, means engaged upon said inner portion of said margin and secured thereto and to said flange, said means having a part providing a shoulder engaged with the inside of said walls,

means providing a frame bounding the upper margin of said side and end walls and including an open bead into which said upper margin of said wails extend, and bars fixed at their ends to the beads ci both frames at points spaced from the corners thereof and operatively connecting them together.

3. A bassinet of the kind described embodying therein an open top basket-like body having a bottom, a frame bounding the margin of said bottom and including an open bead and a flange portion upon which an inner portion of said margin of the bottom engages, the outer portion of said margin extending into said beadll upright side and end walls of transparent material resting on said margin of said bottom and engaged with an inner portion of said bead, means engaged upon said inner portion of said margin and secured thereto and to said flange, said means having a part providing a shoulder engaged with the inside of said walls, a second frame bounding the upper margin of each side and end walls and including a bead and a vertical flange and which bead embraces said upper margin of said walls, and upright members on the outside of said W-alls and connected to the beads of both frames.

4. A bassinet of the kind described embodying therein an open top basket-like body having a bottom, a frame bounding the margin of said body, side and end walls of transparent plastic material for said body and extending upwardly from said frame, a second frame for the top of said body, one of said frames being made of metal formed to provide a rounded hollow bead and a flange of a width greater than the diameter of the bead and spaced from the edge thereof so that a marginal part 01"' said transparent plastic material extends through the space between said flange and said edge of the bead and into the interior of said bead.

5. A bassinet embodying therein a generally rectangular open top basket-like body, having a bottom, a frame bounding the margins of the bottom and having rounded corners, pairs of side and end walls of transparent material for said body fixed at the bottom margin in said frame and extending upwardly therefrom, one pair of such walls having portions extending about the rounded corners of the frame and having end parts abutting end parts of the walls of the other pair, a frame bounding the top margins of said pairs of side and end "walls and upright bars connecting said frames and spaced from the rounded corners thereof.

JOHN WM. BOREN. 

